Automatic railway-signal.



No. 886,847 I ,PATENTED MAY 5, 1908. 1. P. NORWOOD. AUTOMATIC RAILWAY SIGNAL.

APPLICATION FILED OUT. 5,1906. I

' a SHEETS-SHEET 1.

WITNESS: V INVIZN'I'UR 4 "4-M@ A Jamwffiarwoad I I -BY ATTORNEY J P. NORWOODA.

AUTOMATIC RAILWAY SIGNAL. APPLICATION FILED 001. 5.1906.

PATENTBD MAY 5, 1908.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

I v INVENTOR Jkmeafwruaod' ATTORNEY PATENTED MAY 5, 1908.

J. P. NORWOOD'. AUTOMATIC RAILWAY SIGNAL.

APPLIUATION FILED OCT. 5, 1906.

3 SHEETB-SHEBT 3 wlTNEssEs- ATTORNEY INVENTOR Jamwl flfirwaad i motor upon one line.

UNITE STATES ria i JAMES P. NORWOOD, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

AUTOMATIC RAILWAY-SIGNAL.

No. se an.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 5, 1908.

Application filed October 5, 1906. Serial No. 337,514.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES P. Nonwoon, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Chitrain or both, the position of other trains and also the time at which the trains pass given points, whereby the location of any train may be known and the time at which each reached any particular point, thus making collisions next to impossible.

With these ends in view, this invention consists in the details of construction and combination of elements hereinafter set forth andthen specifically designated by the claims.

In order that those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains may understand how tomake and use=the same, I will describe its construction in detail, referring by letter to the accompanying drawings formin a part of'this specification, in which igure 1 is a diagrammatical view of two railways crossing each other, showing semaphores upon each side of the crossing, and a Fig. 2, a. diagram of a portion of a railway illustrating a side track and the switches therefor, and showing a semaphore, revolving lights and also the mechanism to be connected with said semahore and lights, for actuating the same and tor sounding the whistle. -Fig. 3, a diagram of a portion of a railway having a third rail arrangedadjacent thereto, a diagram of the train motor generator and its local circuits and a view of the registering mechanism, and a diagram of the local circuits connected therewith.

In carrying out my invention as here en1- bodied, A and B represent two railway lines crossing each other, and C and D are the third rails arranged adjacent to these lines. These third rails are arranged in sections broken at given points along the lines-as indicated at a and b, which sections may be of any desired length, say, every one fourth mile, and a semaphore may be located at the end of each of these sections as indicated at E, E, E and E At a crossing such as shown in Fig. 1 the third rail C bridges the crossing by the wire d and is connected with the semaphore E by the wire 6' and with the semaphore E by the wire f, while the third rail D bridges the Y crossing by the wire g and is connected with the semaphore E by the wire it and the semaphore E by the Wire i, each sem'a hore bemg connected with one of the rar s of the track.

The semaphores are constructed as follows: H is an ordinary post to which is pivoted the swinging arm I connected by the rod J with the lever J and the spring J and this spring normally holds the semaphore in a lowered position shown in' Fig. 2. K represents a motor, power for which is supplied through the wires L which form a part of the circuit made by the movements of the train from one section of the track to another, and this motor carries the pinion K which meshes with the rack bar K the lower end of the latter being connected with the lever J so that when the motor is revolved in the direction of the arrow marked thereon the arm I- of the semaphore willbe raised as will be readily understood. M is agear wheel also meshing with the pinion K and having attached thereto the connectin rod M which operates the air ump M or forcing air through the pipe M nto the cylinder M; to this cylinder is attached the whistle M adapted to be operated by the lever M the outer end of thelatter being connected with.

the link M in the slotof which is fitted the pinN carried by the gear wheel N, the latter meshing with a inion upon the same shaft with the gear wieel M. The result of this arrangement is that when the motor is put in operation from the train the semaphore arm I is raised, air is pumped into the cylinder M and a half revolution of the gear wheel N" will open and close the whistle so as to cause it to be sounded fora and then shut off. 1

In order that the sight signal may be made more prominent and thus avoid the possibility of the engineer passing the same without obgiveit'iength of time serving it'I arrange two or'more arms 0 upon lights indicated at O to the outer ends of these arms so that when this shaft '0 is rethe horizontal shaft 0 and attach electric his being waved. by an attendant; this shaft 0 is revolved by the motorK through a bevel gear 0 meshing with a correspondinggear u on the same shaft with the pinion K, thus wish the motor K is put into operation the lights 0 will be swung to and fro across the track.

The diagram of the railway track and switch in Fig. Zillustrates the manner in whichlhe semaphore and its attendant mechanism will be put into operation when the main line is closed by the switch, the side track ltwriru open.- In this diagram P represents a contact block at each end of the bridge wire? and P is a'contact block carried by the switch block and connected by I the wire P with the third rail C, this arrangement being the same at each end of the side track, Thus when the switch is in the position shown in Fig. 2 the main track being open and free forthe passage of the train,

the block P isiout of contact with the block l? and consegluently no current passes to the motor over tr e wire L, but should the switch be thrown so as to close the main line and open the side track for the passage of the train thereon, this movement of the switch lever will also carry the block P into contact with the block P thus completing the circuit these may be p aced a recording mechanism for determining the location and time at which the train-reached a particular location,

p and the construction and arrangement of this mechanism. is as follows:it being understood that a direct current generator Q is located upon the train motors and the terminals thereof connected one with the rails of the track through the wheels of the motor, and the other to the third rail 0 through an ordinary traveling shoe A. At each point where the indicating mechanism is located a-= wire S leads from the third rail and a wire S leads back to the track rail, and these wires lead to and from the electroinagnet S which actuates the armature- S carried by the lever 8*, the outer end of which serves as a pawl to revolve the ratchet wheel S step by step, and this ratchet Wheel carries witi it thepointer T, The dial in front of which the )omter T moves consists of two metallic ban s W and W, the former havinglraised ribs thereon representing the stations or other desired localities along the line, while the band N also has raised ribs representing the blocks or sections of the third rail. band N is connected by the wire W withthe The . ceases.

magnet "W? and also by a proper wire with the battery Vt wliich battery is connected bythe wire W with the pointer T, thus thereby depressing the swinging pin W 'WlllCll Wlll make an mpression 1n any su1table disk revolved. by the clock mechanism W", thus showing the time at which the hand asses any given rib, and these ribs, as berore stated, represent stations along the line at which the current-of the generatorwill be thrown to line thereby operating these registering mechanisms wherever included in. the" circuit and ind cating the tune at which the train passes any particular station' The band W is electrically connected-with the magnet X by the wire X and is also included in the circuit with. the battery W and the ointer T so that when the pointer T or the. brush carried thereby cpntacts' with the ribs upon the band l/ the swinging pin X will be de ressed making an impression upon any suitable card carried by the clock mechanism X. This will indicate the time at which the train passes each of the sections in the third rail; I

As a means of attracting. attention to the fact that the register is being made, alocal circuit a; leads from the battery W to the lever S and back again, and has included therein the lamp bso that if further upward movement of the lever continues itwill make contact'with-the point e thus closing this local circuit and causing the lamp 5 toflash.

cl represents a resistancecoil included in the circuit leading from the train motor to the third rail, and from the further side of this coil a'locai rcuit e is its back to the generator, in wl is included the electro magnet f and a lamp g, and so long as no current is opposed to the current of this generator a current will flow through the local circuit e causing the lamp y to burn, and at the same time vitalize the magnet f holding its armature h in contact with the poles of said magnet, but when a counter. current is thrown to line opposing the current fromthe generator Q, the voltage will be neutralized, and no current will pass through the coil (Z nor through the local circuit e, thus causing the armature h to drop down and. close they branch '71 of the local circuit, in which is located the lamp 7' preferably red. This will extinguish the lamp 9 and light the lamp 7', due to the fact that the coil (Z has suificient resistance to prevent the neutralizing of the current from the generator Q in the local circuit on the near side of the coil. Alter na'te trains running in the same directions are to throw currents of opposite polarity to line so that when two trains moving in the 7:, thus notifying the station as well as the two train motors that a second train has entered this block. This neutralizing of the circuit in which the two trains will then be included will enable the station to communicate with either or both of the trains by telephone or telegraph, the instruments of which would of course be connected in the circuit.

in order that the station may be able to signal a train to stop a generator I may be located in the station in the-circuit with the wires S and S, and by means of a switch m the circuit may be closed so as to neutralize the current on the main line, thus lighting the lamp 1 in the train motor, thereby notifying the driver that his train must come to a stop, after which the station may communicate Withthe driver by the proper manipu lation of the switch m, so as to produce flashes of the lamp j corresponding to a predetermined code, or these communications may be had by telephone.

upon the motor of each train traveling upon a road equipped with my system, and another be also located at a'central station, such as a train despatchers ofiice, the driver of each train when coming within a certain distance of another train moving ineither direction the registering mechanism under his observation will indicate Where the other train is located, and at what time it reached either the station or block, likewise the train despatcher will have accurate record of-the position of each train and also know the time at which they pass any particular station or block.

Having" thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and useful, is

1'. The herein described combination of a railway track, one of the rails ,of which forms a part of an electric circuit, a third rail elec- Should one of these registering mechanisms ,be located in which the generator is included, said recording mechanism adapted to register the location and time at which a train reaches or passes a given location, as specified.

2. In a b ock signal system, the combination with two railway tracks crossing each other,'one rail of each track forming a part of an electric circuit, a third rail electrically broken in sections arranged beside each track, bridge wires connecting the broken sectionsof the third rails at the crossing, a

sema hore located-on each side of the crossing on each track, wires connecting the third rail of each track with three of the semaphores, a shoe carried by the traveling motor, said shoe adapted-to travel upon the third rail, and a generator carried by the traveling motor for transmitting current to the line to operate the mechanisms of the semaphores, as specified.

3. n combination with a system of the character described, a semaphore, meansfor normally holding the swinging arm of the semaphore a lowered position, a motor, wires for including said motor in the circuit of a traveling generator, an air compressor connected with the motor, a tank for receiving compressed air, a Whistle connected with the tank, means'con'nected with the motor for opening and closing the whistle, and means also connected with the motor for elevating the swinging arm of the semaphore, 7

' wires for including said motor in the circuit of a traveling generator, an air compressor connected with the motor, a tank for receiving corn ressed air, a whistle connected with the tan means connected with the-motor for opening and closing the'whistle, \means also connected with the motor for elevating the swinging arm of the semaphore, revolving arms, lights carried upon said arms, and means connected with the motor for revolving these lights across the railway, as specified.

5. In combination with a system of the character described, a semaphore, means for normally holdin the swinging arm of the. semaphore in a I owered position, a motor, wires for including said motor in the circuit of a traveling generator, an air compressor connected with the motor, a tank for receiving compressed air, a whistle connected with the tank, means conne'ctedwiththe. motor for opening and closing the whistle, means also connected with the motor for elevating the swinging arm of the semaphore, revolving arms, hghts carried upon said arms, means connected'with the motor for revolving these lights across the railway, and a contact block carried by the railway switch for opening the circuit, electrically connecting the motor with the travelinggenerator, as specified' 6. In a system of the character described,

the combination of a'railway track, one rail of which forms a part of an electric circuit, a third rail electricallybroken in sections, said sections forming a part of said circuit, a gen erator located upon a train motor, means for including said generator in the circuit and a of which forms a part'of an electric circuit, a

. third rail electrically broken in sections, said sections "forming a part of said. circuit, a gen erator located upon a train motor, means for including said generator in the circuit, a recording mechanism also included'in the circuit, said recording mechanism ada ted to record thenumber of sections passe by the train and the time at which each section is passed, and means such as a enerator lo cated at the recording station For neutraliaas specified.

8. In'asystem of the character described the combination of a railway track, one rail of which formsa part of an electric circuit, a third rail electrically broken in sections, said sections forming a part of said circuit, a generator located upon a train motor, means for including said generator in the circuit, a re.-

cording mechanism also included in the cir-f cuit, saidrecording mechanism ada ted to record the number of sections passe by the train and the time atwhich each section is passed, means such as a generator located at ,the recording station for neutralizing th'e current in the circuit whereby a signal is given 'upon the train motor and means for communicating with the driver of the motor,

- In testimony whereof, I have hereunto afthe current in the circuit whereby a sigis given" uponthe tram motor, as specufixed my signature in the-presence of two subscribing witnesses.

- JAMES P.NO5RWOOD. Witnesses:

S. M. GALLAGHER,

E. N. SOHOFIELD. 

